'He tried to save his own skin' – Platini rips selfish Blatter

The former FIFA boss has come in for criticism from one of his pears, who says the Swiss is the most selfish person he's ever known

Michel Platini has lashed out at Sepp Blatter, claiming that the former FIFA president "always said I would be his last scalp".

Former France captain Platini, who was UEFA president and worked alongside Blatter, described the former FIFA boss as "selfish" in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde, and said the 81-year-old held a grudge against him.

Platini called for Blatter to step down in May 2015, saying "enough is enough", but in the end FIFA's ethics committee found both men guilty of breaches involving a £1.3 million 'disloyal payment'made to the Frenchman in 2011and the duo were banned from football in December 2015.

"In the end, he tried to save his own skin," Platini told Le Monde.

"Blatter does not defend anyone else, he never defended me. He's the most selfish person I have seen in my life.

"He always said I would be his last scalp.

"I know he was fixated on me, to the end, ever since the 'enough is enough' comment, even without considering the jealousy he had for the footballer I was."

FIFA's appeals committee reduced Platini's ban from football to four years, while Blatter will serve six. The pair both denied any wrongdoing, saying they had a "gentleman's agreement" in place to settle the balance.

Platini said: "I saw him the last time at CAS in August 2016. It was as if nothing had happened on his side, he was making jokes."